Drivers drown at Italian Baja, Joao Dias leads survivors

Everybody arrived in Italy with hopes of constructing extra momentum in the direction of the FIA European Baja Cup. Many left extra drenched than an Olympic swimmer.

The Italian Baja, second spherical of the 2024 season, took opponents by way of a large number of river beds and muddy water crossings. Consequently, attrition was particularly excessive with solely 4 of the ten Final automobiles and simply three of six SSVs reaching the end.

Though it’s the premier subcategory, T1+ automobiles struggled with just one reaching the end. Benediktas Vanagas had a hydrolock in his Toyota Hilux’s engine after water acquired into the system, leaving him stranded on an eyot till his group may pull him out. Stefan Carmans‘ Purple-Lined REVO T1+, a brand new car to the European Cup, suffered a litany of points that started with the starter failing on the primary stage, then the ability steering the subsequent, and time expiring on the final.

João Ferreira‘s Mini was the one T1+ to finish the race in second, almost six minutes behind Manuele Mengozzi. Whereas this entrenched him atop the factors standings, he definitely would have preferred to shut that hole and even go away with the win as a substitute. Ferreira gained each Selective Sections on the ultimate day however misplaced an excessive amount of time through the first leg to a battery downside.

Andrea Schiumarini‘s rear-wheel-drive Century CR6 additionally skilled setbacks however managed to hitch Mengozzi and Ferreira on the category podium. Magdalena Zajac was the one different Final finisher.

With the Ultimates having a tough time, side-by-sides dominated the race. João Dias and his Can-Am Maverick set the most effective time amongst all opponents, beating fellow Challenger driver Adam Kus for the general by over a minute whereas the SSV of Fidel Castillo Ruiz was third. Mengozzi was the highest-placing Final automobile in fifth and was additionally the highest driver within the nationwide championship.

Tomasz Białkowski, who gained SSV on the season-opening Baja TT Dehesa Extremadura in Could, retired after his Can-Am Maverick caught fireplace. Classmate Amerigo Ventura‘s dwelling race ended with a damaged steering rack. The SSV of İsrafil Akyüz was disqualified earlier than the race begin after his gas tank, security harness, window internet had been discovered to be noncompliant.

In complete, solely fourteen FIA automobiles completed the race.

The Prologue stage on Friday was named the “Giulia Maroni” in honour of the late navigator who died in an accident in January. Maroni was the 2021 Italian Cross-Nation Champion who went on to compete within the European Baja Cup and Dakar Traditional.

General outcomes

FIA

Final

Challenger

SSV

Inventory

Nationwide

CCR

SSV